Fight is really about midterm elections
The sexual misconduct controversy swirling around President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee may decide the direction of the high court but Democrats have an even bigger prize in mind
— control of Congress.
The Dems’ real goal is to seize the Senate and House, giving them the power to block any Supreme Court nominees and launch impeachment proceedings against Trump.
Forget about the truth: What Democrats are really driving at is winning the midterm elections. And the Brett Kavanaugh nomination gives them another issue to get their voters — espe cially women and independents — to the polls this November.
“I didn’t think it was possible to get Democrats more fired up,” said Alex Patton, a GOP consultant in Florida. “I may have been wrong.” Republicans in redleaning states were hoping to use Kavanaugh’s nomination to galvanize conservatives, and may yet in some states.
But now, how Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford performs in testimony, how senators react and how Trump handles the mess could well determine how much damage Republicans suffer in November.
“Just add it to the list of things that aren’t incredibly helpful,” Patton said. “I have clients pulling their hair out.”
In key Senate races in Florida, Nevada, Missouri, Texas and Minnesota, Republican candidates are being forced to take positions on Ford’s accusations, with most treading carefully to avoid angering female voters.
In Missouri, incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill is in a tough race to hold onto her seat, and she could benefit from Kavanaugh fallout. In Nevada, incumbent Republican Dean Heller is locked in a dead heat with a Democratic woman, Jacky Rosen. Heller was harshly criticized by Rosen last week for calling the allegations against Kavanaugh a “hiccup.”
Suffolk University pollster David Paleologos, who is conducting polls in key swing states, said if Republicans succeed in pushing through the nomination, that could anger the Democratic base and make the gender gap even larger.
But Republican consultant Keith Appell said many conservatives see the allegations against Kavanaugh as a “lastminute political hit” and that could unite the conservative base.
“Something like this gets them even more riled up,” Appell said.
In Massachusetts, the Kavanaugh matter could make GOP Senate candidate Geoff Diehl’s underdog campaign against U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren even harder. Diehl has publicly backed Kavanaugh, saying noth ing so far has caused him to abandon his support.
“It really seems to be a stalling technique to affect not only the Supreme Court but also the midterms,” Diehl said.
Gov. Charlie Baker, in true form, has said as little as possible, just that he wants an “independent investigation.” His Democratic opponent, Jay Gonzalez, wants to make political hay out of that, saying Baker has to take a stronger stand. Good luck, Jay.
Kavanaugh’s decision to appear on Fox was an attempt to get ahead of the controversy before Ford testifies. But if Kavanaugh’s second accuser emerges, that complicates what already was a tough fight.